5 years later

I remember the first time I “met” my nephew Abram. He was more of a concept at that point, the bump in Ben’s red headed sister’s tummy. I was a freshman in college and accompanied Ben (as just a friend) to his mom’s birthday dinner right down the road from Waco in good ol’ Temple, TX. 

Then 5 years flew by. We were in Temple last weekend celebrating some young love (that’s a whole separate story ;) and semi-celebrating Abram’s 5^th birthday. I am kind of celebrating any and every small joy during this vacation from school so I was honestly just happy to be around family. I spent Saturday afternoon in the Smith kitchen prepping burgers and baking a pirate cake for Abram and could not have been more content.

cheery final product

i wonder what 5 year olds wish for...

i attempted to make the middle layer blue like water

abram's piece of cake (about 1/4th the actual cake)

love mina claire's cake face 

"someone would pay good money for this at a restaurant"
-Ben's dad

Fried squash medallions

I followed the recipes pretty closely from  http://simply-delicious.co.za/2012/05/08/beef-burgers-with-bacon-jam-gorgonzola/ for the Blue Cheese Burgers with Onion Bacon Jam. The cake was a combination from  http://www.bakerella.com/finally-i-found-it/ for the moist yellow layers and  http://sweetapolita.com/2011/08/sweet-salty-salted-caramel-chocolate-fudge-cake/ for the chocolate icing!


Note: I feel like I have learned so much from Ben’s sisters (Naomi and Becki) about child rearing over my years with them. This trip I learned: despite kids’ lack of cognizance of the efforts made on their behalf, they are worth every ounce of energy and love we can muster. One day they will understand. 

little updates and loads of pictures

I suppose only people that know me read this blog, so for that reason I will use this space to update you all on the current happenings in the Smith household…

I am still free and quite enjoying playing the wifey role again. I have one more week of freedom wherein I commit to wholeheartedly collapse at the end of everyday because of how much fun I am packing into every waking hour.

Ben is busy at work at Looper Reed and absolutely loves it. They seem to have discovered his knack for golf, so he has been privileged a few opportunities to really strut his stuff on the green with them. I have really enjoyed any time spent around his co-workers; they seem genuinely laid back and humorous, a position of confidence that must come with the stability of a real job.

Quimby the dog had a ridiculously expensive special visit to the doggie dermatologist at the A&M small animal clinic (yes small animal, even though he weighed in at 103 pounds this time around). He is being tested for allergies and can therefore not eat anything except kangaroo for the next 30 days. Yes, kangaroo. I suppose when you fall in love with something, you cease to care how much it costs you…this is probably good preparation for our future children.

Our little home here now awaits the bulldozer, set to arrive August 13^th. We received an email a few days ago confirming the impending demolition and a little more wholeheartedly began looking for the next place to call home. So if you have an extra room, feel free to call me; I will cook to earn my keep and Ben is fairly good at housecleaning.

And finally to partially explain the absence from this blog space: husBen and I recently returned from San Francisco and we are stuffed and satisfied. I will allow the pictures to tell their story…

first stop: food fuel for the vineyard hopping

Fried chicken sandwich at Oakville Grocery

so serious with that sandwich

we learned about the wine making process at
 our favorite, Vineyard 29

the caves leading up to the library at Vineyard 29 

herbs lined the bar at Goose and Gander...
then made their way into our drinks

"the best burger I have had in my life"
 -Ben Smith at Goose and Gander

11 a.m. in Napa

yountville had the best treats

macarons and pretty things

yes, i will have one of each

We picked up the to-go version of this Thomas Keller
home-cooking

Thomas Keller's famous fried chicken
(and the best cornbread I have EVER tasted)

The Culinary Institute campus in St. Helena

my future?

these look too perfect...

Sipped and relaxed for a moment at Heitz Cellars

husBen at Pride Mountain

my backyard...i wish

attempted artsy pic

Pride Mountain 

duck confit and Thomas Keller's Bouchon

macarons!

the texture is unforgettable

husBen fits right in, don't you think?

late night. 

a pier, just part of the daily landscape in SF

never enough cheese 

Blue Bottle Coffee

Ferry Market Building on Saturday

I want to paint this.

Foreign Cinema restaurant
(bestie Paige and the boyfriend Steve, oh how we missed them)

halibut ceviche at Foreign Cinema

Real normal. Humphry Slocombe ice cream shop.

Black sesame ice cream

Tartine Bakery. Absolutely delicious. 

Paxton Gate shop in the Mission

cool wine and cheese shop in the Mission

who knew Frenchies were so popular?

ben getting custom fitted for a shirt at Tailor Stitch,
where our friend Steve is gainfully employed

waited in a line that wrapped around the street corner...

...for BiRite Creamery! So worth it.

salted caramel and dark chocolate ice creams

date night at Zuni cafe, a must

we sat above the wood fired oven
and watched our dinner roast!

Roast chicken salad at Zuni cafe

breakfast at Plow

the headlands

And if any of you visit soon, might I suggest:

Delfina Pizzeria

Oakville Grocery

Vineyard 29 (buy the zin!)

Pride Mountain

Ad hoc or Addendum

Bouchon

Bouchon bakery

Goose and Gander

Ferry Building Market (on a Saturday)

Valencia street (just explore!)

Humphry Slocombe ice cream

Bi Rite Creamery (the best)

Foreign Cinema

Tartine Bakery

Zuni Cafe

Bourbon and Branch (a speakeasy of sorts)

Plow

Muir Woods!